Chain-link fence cost in Iowa City, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $1,450 – $5,750
- Per linear ft
- $9.40 – $37.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $3,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #180
- 1 = most expensive
Iowa City homeowners pay roughly $1,450 to $5,750 to install a chain-link fence at 150 linear ft, or $9.40 to $37.50 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Iowa City is 6% lower. Construction laborers earn a median of $23.05 an hour in the Iowa City area, 2% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Iowa City, IA, standard level
$2,750 to $4,450
About $18 to $29 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 61% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,550 |
| Labor | $1,550 | $2,850 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $110 |
| Total | $2,750 | $4,450 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Iowa City, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $840 | $1,350 | $1,850 | 37% |
| Labor | $560 | $2,200 | $3,800 | 61% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $85 | $140 | 2% |
| Total | $1,450 | $3,600 | $5,750 | 100% |
What is behind the Iowa City number
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 60% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $23.05 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Iowa City is 0.94 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 61% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Iowa City metro is 93.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 150 linear ft comes to $1,350, compared with $1,450 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (91.5) and land at $35 to $140.
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Iowa City is 0.94 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 60% of the weighting: a median of $23.05 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.87 and $28.74 an hour. About 800 work in the metro. That is 85.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 40%) the local median is $23.89 an hour, which is 18% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.98 and $29.70 an hour. BLS counts 360 of them working in the area, 38.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is about average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($28.74 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $350. At the 25th percentile ($21.87) it shrinks by about $75. The total moves by 9.7% or 2.0%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 93,760 jobs in the Iowa City area. That makes it the 214th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.06% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 60% | $21.87 | $23.05 | $28.74 | $22.66 | 1.02 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $21.98 | $23.89 | $29.70 | $29.12 | 0.82 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.94 | |||||
How Iowa City compares
Same job, same size (150 linear ft), priced for the nearest metros. Davenport is the priciest of the group at $3,950.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IAthis page | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA40 miles | $1,500 – $6,050 | $3,750 | +4% |
| Davenport, IA60 miles | $1,550 – $6,400 | $3,950 | +10% |
| Dubuque, IA75 miles | $1,500 – $6,100 | $3,800 | +5% |
| Waterloo, IA80 miles | $1,500 – $6,050 | $3,750 | +4% |
| Des Moines, IA110 miles | $1,500 – $6,200 | $3,850 | +7% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $1,500 – $6,000 | $3,750 | +4% |
| United States | $1,550 – $6,150 | $3,850 | +7% |
Across 300 US metros, Iowa City comes in at #180 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $5,450; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $3,000 (midpoints, 150 linear ft). Statewide, Iowa City is 4% below the Iowa figure.
Other Iowa metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $1,500 – $6,200 | $3,850 | +7% |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $1,550 – $6,400 | $3,950 | +10% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $1,500 – $6,050 | $3,750 | +4% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $1,500 – $6,050 | $3,750 | +4% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $1,450 – $5,850 | $3,650 | +1% |
| Dubuque, IA | 58,470 jobs | $1,500 – $6,100 | $3,800 | +5% |
Cities with a workforce like Iowa City's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Iowa City against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | 93,800 jobs | $1,500 – $6,150 | $3,800 | +6% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $1,600 – $6,850 | $4,250 | +18% |
| Barnstable, MA | 94,110 jobs | $1,650 – $7,000 | $4,350 | +20% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $1,650 – $6,750 | $4,200 | +17% |
Extras that change the Iowa City total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Iowa City by the average of the local wage index (0.94) and goods index (0.94), a factor of 0.94. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $75 – $940 |
When to schedule chain-link fence in Iowa City
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Iowa City Muni Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through November is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Iowa City (9 of 12 months). January, February and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Iowa City gets about 36 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 2.2 and 2.2 inches. The station averages about 19 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31 | 15 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Feb | 36 | 19 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Mar | 50 | 30 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 63 | 40 | 3.8 | Workable |
| May | 73 | 52 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 66 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 63 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Sep | 78 | 54 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 64 | 42 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 30 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 36 | 20 | 1.4 | Cold |
Specs and site conditions that change a Iowa City bid
Height
A 4-ft fence runs $10-$20 per linear foot; 6- to 8-ft backyard fences run $15-$40+ (HomeGuide).
Coating
Black or green vinyl-coated mesh costs more than galvanized.
Gates
Gates are $80-$1,000+ before installation. Rolling or slide gates are the expensive end.
Related projects, priced for Iowa City
Because every project leans on different trades, Iowa City's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, gravel driveway runs −2% and wood fence −8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood fence | 150 linear ft | $2,800 – $7,050 | −8% |
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,250 – $8,550 | −7% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,550 – $10,700 | −6% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $9,950 | −2% |
Cost by quality level and size in Iowa City
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Iowa City wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$1,450 to $3,150
4-ft galvanized, front yard
Standard
$2,750 to $4,450
6-ft galvanized backyard fence
Premium
$4,050 to $5,750
Vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $970 – $2,150 | $1,850 – $3,000 | $2,700 – $3,900 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,750 – $4,450 | $4,050 – $5,750 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $1,900 – $4,200 | $3,650 – $5,900 | $5,350 – $7,650 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $2,850 – $6,250 | $5,400 – $8,850 | $8,000 – $11,400 |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed chain-link fence report for Iowa City, IA, $9
Multi-page report for Iowa City, IA: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Chain-link fence in Iowa City: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a chain-link fence in Iowa City?
For 150 linear ft, expect $1,450 to $5,750 in the Iowa City area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,750 to $4,450. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for chain-link fence in Iowa City?
About $9.40 to $37.50 per linear ft for materials and labor, plus $35 to $140 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $40.
+Is chain-link fence cheaper in Iowa City or Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $3,750, which is 4% more than Iowa City ($3,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Iowa City?
About 61% at the midpoint, or $2,200 out of $3,600. Materials are 37% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Iowa City?
$1,900 to $7,650. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does chain-link fence need a permit in Iowa City?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $35 to $140 for fees in the Iowa City area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Iowa City expensive for chain-link fence compared with the rest of Iowa?
Iowa City is 4% below the Iowa statewide estimate ($3,750 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Iowa; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Iowa City?
The BLS median is $23.05 an hour in the Iowa City area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.87 to $28.74.
+What do basic and premium chain-link fence work cost in Iowa City?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $1,450 to $3,150 and premium work $4,050 to $5,750. Basic means: 4-ft galvanized, front yard. Premium means: vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates.
+When is the best time to install a chain-link fence in Iowa City?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. March and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
+What does "add one gate" add in Iowa City?
$75 to $940, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Chain-link fence near Iowa City
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Chain-Link Fence Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Visual Fence Pro: Chain Link Fence Cost & Pricing Guide for Contractors (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = Visual Fence Pro's $6-$13 per foot for residential galvanized 4-6 ft fence (taller or vinyl-coated fence costs more).